ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Giovanni van Bronckhorst was hired Wednesday to coach Feyenoord in the Champions League next season, replacing his Netherlands teammate from the 2010 World Cup final Robin van Persie.

Van Bronckhorst takes over again at Feyenoord where he won a Dutch league title as coach in 2017, the Rotterdam club said in a statement confirming he signed a two-year contract.

“Everybody knows my relationship with Feyenoord,” said Van Bronckhorst, whose playing career started with the Rotterdam club. “The club is a red line through my life.”

Van Persie was fired this month despite leading the team to a runner-up finish behind PSV Eindhoven and direct entry to the Champions League.

After spending last season at Liverpool as an assistant to now-fired coach Arne Slot, Van Bronckhorst’s staff at Feyenoord will include Sipke Hulshoff, who also was at Anfield.

The 51-year-old Van Bronckhorst started and finished his playing career at Feyenoord, and also had spells at Arsenal, Barcelona and Rangers.

He retired after the 2010 World Cup, where he scored a spectacular goal in a semifinal win over Uruguay. The Dutch lost the final to Spain 1-0 in extra time.

Van Bronckhorst’s coaching career includes his four seasons at Feyenoord until 2019 and taking Rangers to the Europa League final in 2022.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer